Our Approach to Change Management

Organisations are rightly demanding a measurable return on their change programmes and are becoming increasingly aggressive with regard to the target business benefits. Yet we know that from recent research (source: Prosci Change Mgt Benchmark Report 2009) that projects with excellent change management effectiveness are nearly six times more likely to achieve project objectives than teams with poor change management effectiveness, 95% to 16% respectively. The report also found that the greatest obstacles to change were people related. For example, ineffective change sponsorship, middle management resistance, limited change management skills and poor communications were all cited.

Change is not something that can be done to an organisation and is not a one off event. Crucial, therefore, to the success of any change management approach is to enhance the internal capabilities of understanding, planning and driving change through the organisation. These are skills that can be developed with external help and, combined with careful management, can greatly increase the likely success in achieving and even exceeding the aggressive targets set.

Our approach is driven by a fundamental requirement for organisations to receive measurable value from their change programmes. We work in partnership with you to focus on the areas that are critical to you in delivering successful change. We use the following framework to identify the key impact areas in your change programmes across the lifecycle of the project following an initial change readiness review.

Envision and Plan the ChangeAt the start of a change programme it is essential to ensure that a robust ‘Vision’ is in place that ‘defines’ what the organization will be like once the change has been implemented and is articulated in such a way as to stretch, direct, motivate and align the organization.

We are also regularly asked to assess to what extent the organization is equipped for the change by identifying potential barriers to and drivers of the change. This mitigates risk early on in the process by identifying the potential people issues of change. The investment up front in this Change Planning process can reap benefits later on in terms of benefits realization.

Example Deliverables:

Compelling Vision and case for change

Change Plan

Change Readiness Review to assess potential barriers and drivers of the change

Build CommitmentWe bring a practical approach to managing all internal and external stakeholders impacted by a Change Programme through robust communications planning in order to manage the transition process, build commitment to new ways of working and reduce resistance to change.

Example Deliverables:

Stakeholder analysis

Communications strategy and plan

Employee engagement programme

Build CapabilityOne of the core aspects of our business is designing and building a wide range of learning & development solutions for an even wider range of clients. Our capability stretches from designing innovative “classroom” events and web-based learning to virtual classrooms and performance portals. We therefore have the capability to manage the design of any kind of learning solution.

Design Organisation and Align CultureOur approach to organization design is about far more than re-structuring. It takes account of reporting structures, roles, performance measures, workgroups and integrating mechanisms to deliver the organisation’s strategy and business benefits.

We are specialists in culture change and have developed a detailed methodology to aligning business strategy with behavior and performance (culture change). Culture change is all about long-term change. This can only be achieved successfully by identifying the levers to sustain the change. Often this involves providing advice and guidance to re-align performance management and other HR processes to the new strategic direction of the organisation.

Example Deliverables:

Organisation effectiveness reviews

New structural designs

Culture survey

Culture / behavioural change programme

Develop LeadersStrong leadership and sponsorship is fundamental to successful change. Our role is often to engage with the senior leadership of the organisation to gain their ongoing support for the project and to coach those responsible for the day to day management of the project.

Example Deliverables:

Executive coaching

Leadership development programme

Deliver BenefitsIt is vital to have clarity regarding the overall business case and realizable benefits. Our solutions validate early on the projected benefits from the initiative using best practice programme management techniques to track benefit delivery. We can provide project management services.